Download PDF File - Basis Audio

audiophiles are familiar with the flat, ribbon cables made by some companies. Flat cables typically result inunusual values of capacitance and impedance, which is why some such cables are actually unstable withparticular electronics, even requiring discrete loading components to achieve stability. Basis cables, reflectingtheir “distortionless transmission line” design, are totally stable with all loads.Fixating on one design aspect, as in the above examples, may make for “catchy” marketing, but invariablyresults in incomplete cable designs.We at Basis understand that all aspects of an audio cable are critical. A complete design must account formany factors and not overlook any. Basis specifies such extreme requirements of materials and processes, allof which are necessary to achieve our performance and stability goals, that we have found only two hightech/militarycable specialist manufacturers in the USA who are capable of manufacturing Basis Signal Cables.Basis PSTT Interconnect Cable effectively addresses all pertinent material and electrical properties,including:1. Conductor material: The highest purity proprietary copper alloy is used throughout all cables.2. Dielectric material: The most pure form of the world’s finest dielectric is used, un-dyed for all primary andsecondary insulation needs as well as cable cores.3. Skin Effect design: Basis has defined interconnect cable effective cross-sectional area and cablegeometry to eliminate skin effect concerns, even at multiples of the highest audio frequencies, producingsuperior imaging, impact, reverberation, and tonality.4. Impedance matching: Through innovative use of materials and geometry Basis has succeeded in bringingthe impedance to match the connectors used, preventing reflections at the connector/cable interface.Phono-stage and line-level signals are therefore transferred without distortion-producing reflections ateither source or load end.5. Extreme, exotic-material double shielding: Transmitting the signal perfectly is a formidable challenge.However, shielding and protecting small phono-stage level and line-level signals from outside noise is justas important, though commonly overlooked. Most cables are shielded, to some degree, from highfrequencynoise. None are effectively shielded from the always-present power-line frequency magneticfields. Interconnects are typically in close proximity to power cords, component transformers, andhousehold wiring. All are strong sources of low-frequency magnetic field noise. Basis Interconnects aredouble shielded, including a shield of exotic high-permeability material to eliminate RFI and magnetic noisefrom distorting your audio signal. Basis cables therefore deliver lower hum levels, lower noise levels,greater background “blackness”, higher transparency, and more low-level detail. Your amplifier will delivermore power to your speakers and exhibit lower intermodulation distortion as it is freed from amplifying nonmusicalnoise, especially power robbing low frequency noise. Your loudspeakers will also be morecoherent and lower in distortion when not reproducing this non-audio content.6. “Distortionless Transmission Line” performance: Electrical characteristics are balanced in the single,unique condition to meet “distortionless transmission line” conditions. This balance of conditions, dictatedby proven physics, is the only avenue to attain constant phase across a wide frequency range.A constant perfect phase relationship between all frequencies produces results not attainable if thiscondition is not met. Foremost in the sound of a “distortionless transmission line” may be a “naturalcoherence” that can be “felt” on an instinctive level by the listener. The individual sonic properties thatmany audiophiles analyze, such as attack, decay, tonality, and soundfield echoes so convincingly “play offof each other” and combine as to make analytical listening almost superfluous. So involving is the musicthat analytical listening is actually much more difficult to perform in a system with Basis signal cables fromsource through speakers. To explain just how natural this effect of correct phase is please contemplatethis analogy. Imagine sitting in the middle of a totally dark room with a person speaking behind and to theleft of you. In a few moments you would be able to locate this person. Your mind automatically would